Travelogue Thursday: Iceland

Yeah, it was only a matter of time before these guys came up. Sigur Rós is one of the biggest names in indie right now, and probably holds the title for highest weirdness to popularity ratio. Their music is grand, sweeping, atmospheric stuff, and when the lyrics aren’t in Icleandic, they’re in an imaginary nonsense language dubbed “Hopelandic” invented by the band.

If this sounds pretentious, it’s because it is. It’s also really good stuff, at the same time both relaxing and emotionally powerful. No better proof of this can be found than the band’s inclusion in “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou,” during the scene where the crew of the Belafonte finally has its run in with the jaguar shark. As “Starálfur” plays over the scene and into the next, you’re given a sense of peace that literally sends chills down your spine, and no doubt contributes to the tears that well up in your eyes as the crew moves to place their hands on Bill Murray (hey, shut up—if you don’t get a little emotional during that scene, you have no soul).

Sigur Rós – Starálfur

Bonus! More proof of the emotional draw of Sigur Rós can be found in the epic video for Glosoli: